Wheat Price Jump Sparks Surge in Illinois Acres

A jump in wheat prices is luring more acres into production for Central Illinois farmers Lance Muirhead and John Howell.

Muirhead, who inserted wheat into his corn and soybean rotation about five years ago, attributes the expansion to the recent price increase. He notes that the higher prices have made forward marketing a viable option, allowing him to lock in a profit on wheat while also achieving competitive yields with double crop soybeans.

Howell, who chairs the Illinois Wheat Development Board, adds that this year has produced a bumper wheat crop and above-average precipitation is expected to boost double crop soybean yields. He estimates that over the last 15 years, most years have seen wheat as the most profitable crop, especially when paired with high-yielding double crop soybeans.